Our Review

A stylish, all-terrain tandem that will grow with your family

As the only 3-wheeler tandem on the market to have a 360° front swivel wheel with disc brake, the Jané Powertwin Pro offers ultimate control and safety, particularly on hilly terrain or steep streets. It’s a practical option for active parents who want to get out and about with a newborn and a toddler, or twins.

Spanish company Jané has been making prams since 1932. The Powertwin Pro is currently its best-selling double buggy and has won a host of accolades.

With the Jané Powertwin Pro Review, the rear seat reclines completely and is suitable from birth, while the front seat has two positions and can be used from 3 months and up, making it ideal for transporting children of differing ages. You'll notice the instruction manual says from 6 months for the front seat. This is basically because of the diffences between the UK's BSI 7409 (British Safety Standards), and what exists in Europe, the EN 1888. For example, a pushchair seat could be classified as from birth under the BSI, but under the European standard it may not be - it depends on where the pushchair was made and where it was tested.

Newborn twins can be carried by converting the Powertwin Pro to a travel system, with a choice of one or two car seats. The ‘pro-fix’ system even enables you to attach the car seats using one hand, leaving the other free to hold the baby. And if you have three little ones close in age, the oldest can be accommodated on an optional surfer board.

What we love

With its stylish good looks and smart, soft upholstery, the Powertwin Pro has received a few admiring glances while I’ve been wheeling it around. From his “driving chair” (i.e. the front seat), my 3-year-old, Fynn, declared that it’s “very comfy”. Harry, his 7-month-old brother, seems equally happy in the rear seat. And even Fynn, my little Houdini, can’t escape from the 5-point harness, which is very simple to fasten.

Even with two children on board the buggy is easy to push. Steel ball bearings on the wheels make for a smooth ride, while the shock-absorbing pneumatic tyres and rear-wheel spring suspension add to the comfort. As a tandem, it has the upper hand over traditional side-by-side models and fits neatly through doorways and into lifts.

A unique feature of the Powertwin Pro is the disc brake on the front wheel, which is operated by a lever on the handlebar and is similar to a bicycle handbrake. It’s a boon for coping with the short but steep hill the leads into my local town. The parking brake is sturdy, if a little stiff, but it held firm when we stopped on the hill to reunite Harry’s feet with the socks he’s forever removing.

The Powertwin Pro folds easily and the quick-release wheels are a useful feature. I’m 5ft 9in and have to hunch to push fixed-handle pushchairs, so the adjustable handlebar height is a big plus, too. Another clever addition is the peep-holes in the rain hood, which Fynn loves. They stop his usual trick of lifting up the bottom of the cover and sticking his head out!

What to watch out for

Despite its 100% aluminium oversized oval tubular chassis, the Powertwin Pro is still a weighty machine. It also takes up a lot of space in the car boot. I have to remove the front wheel so it will fit into our small family car, as it doesn’t fold down snugly enough.

The pushchair also feels slightly too long when you’re pushing it, although it doesn’t look ungainly when I see someone else steering. For such a large pushchair, the shopping basket is on the small side and difficult to access. And though the hoods provide good sun and rain protection, the front one obscures Harry’s view. He’s much happier when it’s removed.

Mums online have commented that the pushchair can tip when mounting curbs, though I haven’t experienced this problem yet. A few have also mentioned that the brake system breaks! The Service Manager at Jané says there have been very few complaints about the brakes, although they may require adjustment after time.

Who is the Jané Powertwin Pro best for?

Twin mums after a safe, stylish and practical pushchair that lets them tackle all terrain, from countryside walks to city pavements.

MadeForMums verdict

This attractive, comfortable pushchair combines the freedom of a 3-wheeler with the practicality of a tandem. The Jané Powertwin Pro does take up a lot of boot space, but the wheels will release at the push of a button for quick removal.

Fantastic stroller for twins/siblings. I have owned 4 different double strollers and this was the best by far!

Easy compact foldQuick to put up Lie flat rear seatMuch better than a side by side for shopping/cafe tripsDoesn't look like a double so you don't get stopped all the time so people can ask you about twins

Could be a bit tippy on slopesSeats could be a little bit bigger

Would definitely recommend this stroller - it is compact and well made

It's very lightweight compared to the other double pushchairs I tried when I was expecting.Front seat reclines enough to let a toddler sleep comfortably.Quite compact for a tandem once your baby can sit properly in the back.Can be used with an infant carrier to make a travel system for a baby and toddler on the front or back seat and with two infant carriers to make it suitable for twins.The hand brake. A couple of people have had a chuckle about this asking me when i would ever need a disk brake on a pushchair however i have to say for me it is actually a godsend. Living somewhere that is supposedly flat (norfolk) i have a surprising amount of hills near my house...I grant you that they are not mountains but when you load up two small kids and all thier kit into a pushchair thats never going to be as light as a single (and then you add onto that another baby bump) you will silently thank whoever put it there. It saves me jogging after a front heavy pram - that is far too much like strenuous exercise.

Have had a couple of near accidents when 'dismounting' kerbs.At first it felt like it pulled a bit to one side if my toddler nodded off in the front and leaned but I very quickly got used to this and after a couple of weeks didn't notice anymore.If you use the infant carrier on the back seat you can't recline the front and it comes out quite far so depending how tall your toddler is may dig in a bit.PNEUMATIC TYRES...arrrrgh...i 'slimed' mine to avoid any puncture related mishaps and it wasn't as cheap as i'd have hoped but the idea of repairing punctures in the middle of the street with 2 children under 2 years old was enough to give me palpitations!!! (am still wondering when they will make foam filled tyres)

If you want a practical, lightweight (considering what it will have to put up with when raising 2 under 2 and then adding another before your second is 1)and stylish tandem pushchair that can cope with the demands of being used day in day out and climbed on by mini tarzan then i'd say this is a pretty good bet. I will be honest and say that it was a hard desicision for me between this, and icandy pear and a phil and teds but now i look back i feel this is much more practical. Yes you do add some length but you also add the ability to get to both your children very quickly and easily should you need to and the ability to fold your pram without having to take bits off (unless of course it's being used with the infant carrier) also BOTH seats are spacious enough to accomodate toddlers and it fits in the boot of our car easily and we don't have a people carrier (yet) or even an estate. For all these reasons I love this pram...However the one flaw for me is the fact that its a 3 wheeler and has been known to almost tip to the side if i was trying to be a bit too hasty getting down the taller kerbs. I looked at a twin two (the 4 wheel alternative) but didn't really feel like adding about half a foot onto my pram. If they could somehow make a cross between the powertwin's length, adjustable handlebar and weight and the twintwo's frame (oh and make the matrix cup compatible at the same time) i feel it'd be a major improvement and would make this almost perfect pram, perfect...until that day i have absolutely no regrets about buying this pram at all, it was well worth the (rather hefty) price and I would recommend it to anyone.

Score breakdown

FRONT SEAT RECLINES SLIGHTLY, BACK SEAT LAYS FLAT, BASKET HOLDS MORE THAN IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD, EASY TO PUSH AND STEER, NOT TOO HEAVY TO PUSH LIKE ALOT OF TANDEMS, NO NEED FOR CAR SEAT ADAPTERS AS IT SLOTS RIGHT ON, RAINCOVER IS AWSOME BEING LIKE A POP UP TENT

NOT MANY THAT I CAN THINK OF, FOLDS QUITE BIG BUT MOST 3 WHEELERS DO

I HAD THIS BUGGY FOR A FEW MONTHS BEFORE UPGRADING TO A PHILAND TEDS ANDID DEFFINATELY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO HAS A SMALL BABY AND A TODDLER OR 2 BABIES

i've used three different tandems and this is the only one i kept, it's durable and so easy to steer and push has a really tight turning circle and even with two children can be pushed and steered easily with one hand folds as small as a conventional single pushchair. very large front seat and the car seat can be used back or front so is suitable for twins right from birth or your larger child can sit in the back. Thorougly recommend. A+++++

Score breakdown

I love my Jane Powertwin in Neoclassic, Ive had no issues whatsoever.I found that the powertwin is very sturdy and comfortable for my 1months and 16 months old. I was given a side by side pushchair for my 2 children and I absalutley hated it! Try getting through a door way with one of them! However with my powertwin its compact enough for me to get through door ways and I no longer need help when going out shopping!! I use mine with 1 Strata and the base which I also found fantastic.

Sometimes difficult to get into the boot due to the front wheel and heavy.

Overall I would recommend this to all in my baby and toddler group, i havent seen a better double pram that I would even want to try!!

Score breakdown

Ease of folding/unfolding:

5.0

Ease of pushing and steering:

5.0

Comfort for babies and toddlers:

5.0

Style:

5.0

Robustness/Durability:

5.0

Value for money:

5.0

Lola Kirk would recommend this product

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